


and now to return to your regularly scheduled programming

by deadlikemoi



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Boy is he awkward, CEO Ben Solo, F/M, Rey is the sloth girl, Say hello to the crylo ladies, The Bachelor AU, Virgin Ben Solo
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-17
Updated: 2019-07-17
Packaged: 2020-06-30 05:56:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19847005
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deadlikemoi/pseuds/deadlikemoi
Summary: Production for the new season of the show is days away from beginning; the house for the bachelor is rented, the mansion where all the contestants will stay is ready, all the women have arrived, and all that remains is for the production company to finish setting up the cameras and scenery needed to make the magic.Oh, and the bachelor himself.The man they chose to carry the torch into the new season is the same man who was slighted so horribly in the previous season of The Bachelorette.Bazine Netal made everyone believe she'd fallen effortlessly for Armitage Hux, including the man himself, but when he got down on his one knee with that single question on his lips, she surprised everyone with her refusal."I'm sorry, Armie," she whispered through what looked like over-dramatically fake tears, "I can't. It's not enough."





	and now to return to your regularly scheduled programming

**Author's Note:**

  * For [House Crylo](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=House+Crylo).



> The prompt was: Ben is picked as the star of the Bachelor (shenanigans behind-the-scenes involving the previously picked out bachelor walking out on the eve of the first show so Ben has to step as a favour to his mum, exec. producer Leia Organa) and Rey's one of the bachelorettes. The only interesting thing about Ben is that he hasn't had sex yet so the producers, desperate, pick that as his 'interesting feature'/theme of the season. Ben is dying of embarrassment through the corny intros of the bachelorettes, until Rey turns up dressed as a sloth like that girl from The Bachelor s23.
> 
> I legitimately know absolutely nothing about how The Bachelor/The Bachelorette works so we might be taking a lot of leave from reality for this. 
> 
> This will most likely be 2/3 chapters with smut to come later.
> 
> Trigger warning for a car accident at the end of this chapter.

~

"I knew this would happen one day." Leia Organa Solo, founder of O-So Productions and executive producer of both The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, is furiously moving large stacks of paper around her oversized desk, searching for a green file folder that contains all the dossiers for men who applied to be the star of the new season of The Bachelor. 

Production for the new season of the show is days away from beginning; the house for the bachelor is rented, the mansion where all the contestants will stay is ready, all the women have arrived, and all that remains is for the production company to finish setting up the cameras and scenery needed to make the magic. 

Oh, and the bachelor himself. 

The man they chose to carry the torch into the new season is the same man who was slighted so horribly in the previous season of The Bachelorette. 

Bazine Netal made everyone believe she'd fallen effortlessly for Armitage Hux, including the man himself, but when he got down on his one knee with that single question on his lips, she surprised everyone with her refusal. 

"I'm sorry, Armie," she whispered through what looked like over-dramatically fake tears, "I can't. It's not enough." 

The words crushed the man, and he went on a private getaway for a month to shield himself from most of the media attention. It was there, on a secluded ranch in the middle-of-nowhere, Texas, that he met the woman he walked away from a new season, and over $100,000, of the show for. 

Her name is Cap Phasma, an interesting name for a woman who is beautiful in a way that takes you by surprise at first glance, and the company is truly happy for him. Nothing makes them feel better when their stars find love except when they're the ones doing it. 

But it left them in a bad position with only days left before filming started. They'd already put too much money in to delay, and the likelihood for a lawsuit is strong enough that her backup plan, their last resort, breaks every single rule they have. 

Leia pulls all the production assistants into a room with the task of finding her a new bachelor. They have the dossiers, they have their own friends and family, hell, she doesn't even care if they have to go out on the street to find him. 

All she needs is a body. 

But the short notice does them no favors with each and every man unable to give away weeks of their lives for filming. 

Leia has one ace up her sleeve, but she is hesitant to use it now. 

The fact of the matter is that her son may never forgive her, and if this turns out in the best possible way, she wants to spend time with her future daughter-in-law and potential grandchildren. 

They can set up contracts from today on to avoid this issue, but there is no resolution to this without Ben. 

"Hello, Mother." Once again, he answers on the last possible ring and throws her plan to leave a brief and concise voicemail to the wind. She didn't expect him to pick up.

She is sitting in her office, alone, where no one can eavesdrop on her conversation. "Hi, honey. How are you?"

"I know why you're calling, so let's cut to the chase, shall we?" 

Ben inherited much from her, but he completely lacks her sense of diplomacy. "Alright, Ben. I know you must've heard by now—"

"Heard how Hux ran away and fucked over your shoot? Yes, I heard."

"Anyway," she sighs and drums her fingers on her desk. "You're the new bachelor!" 

It is clear he knew this moment was coming, but he doesn't keep it together like he was raised to. "Fuck! And there's no talking you out of this?" 

"I wish there was." 

"Remember our agreement. This is the last of your projects I participate in. Don't expect me to drop in out of the kindness of my heart either. Done. Finished. Signed off." And with that, the line goes dead. 

~

Monday morning is the big, unfortunate day. Because he is required to spend what amounts to entire days on set at the house or at another location still filming, Ben refused to set an appointment for principal photography any day prior, so the production company scrambled to get everything set for his arrival bright and early this morning. 

It isn't that he doesn't love his mother or want to be helpful, it's not that at all. Leia had been hoping that she could somehow pull, yank, and convince Ben to be a child actor like she was. So far removed from childhood, she forgot how much she hated it until he threatened to run away and never return if she made him audition for one more part. 

The world wanted the product of a Leia Organa and Han Solo marriage more than it cried out for world peace or a cure for cancer. His heart was never in it, but they all claimed he had some raw talent and a rare gift that found him hired again and again ad nauseam. 

Finally, at the age of 15, Ben sued for emancipation and won. 

It was the wake up call they needed as parents and people, and since then, it has been a slow process toward rebuilding their relationship. 

The antagonistic bent quickly evaporated when he was no longer under their roof. All the money he'd earned from his projects kept him afloat until he created his own company at 17, becoming the youngest and most profitable CEO when he went public a year and a half later. 

No one really understands what he does ("One of the best tech startups born outside of Silicon Valley!"), but the users are believers and his stock price verifies that and the value of the company skyrocketed overnight. 

Did Leia know, back then, that her son would be a better bachelor because of what he gave up? 

"Come this way, Mr. Solo." He recognizes the older gentleman who brings him into the house, but it takes him a moment to place him fully. 

"Cee, is that you?" Leia's long time assistant, Cee Three Pio, looks like he did when Ben would run into his long form on a daily basis. There is no nod, no acknowledgement, and Ben lets out a raucous laugh that takes even him by surprise. 

Another underling runs around with coffee and water, one in each hand, and a third plucks the garment bag that holds two of his suits, each worth more than they make in a year, from his hand. While he's currently flush with more money than some entire countries, it agitates him to part with any item that expensive. 

Old habits die very hard and all that. 

"Here he is, boss." He is summarily dumped at his mother's feet like a watered down newspaper that the paperboy flung straight into the sprinkler. 

It has been long enough that he has forgotten how small she is or how large his body is when she stands and wraps her arms around him, patting his cheek with a twinge of motherly love. "You look good, sweetie, but you need a hair cut." 

A nerve in his face stings as he resists the urge to roll his eyes in response. 

He has a certain look, one that makes people look twice when they hear who he is and what he does, and he likes it just this way. Long hair, dark enough to straddle the line between black and brown, and two days worth of stubble on his jaw, chin, and upper lip. 

It isn't that he wants to make anyone's job harder than it should be, but he sees no reason why he should change his habits for this travesty. 

Two months of his life will be taken away in the hope, from everyone but him, that he will find true love in absolutely no time whatsoever with none of the outside factors that generally make or break romances. 

Is he pessimistic about his chances? Perhaps. 

Ben's recent record with women is less than stellar, and he knows exactly what the hook line of this season will be: Ben Solo, the virgin bachelor. 

"Can we—?"

"No," his response is directly to the point. 

"How about—?"

"No."

" _Benjamin._ "

Another long, drawn out sigh leaves his lips. "Look, mom. I'm doing this for you, not because I want to, so please remember that. I will not go through some elaborate hygiene change and give these women a false view of what I'm like in the day to day. You think any woman who says yes in the end will be happy knowing that the image shown to them was crafted by my own mother?" 

"When you put it like that..." 

"Exactly." Impressed with himself for squashing that before it became a thing, he allows the hair and makeup person to style his hair and apply some coverup under his eyes in an attempt to hide the sleepless nights that are evident by the deep shadows on his face. 

He is under no illusions in regards to how he looks, but at 29, he feels like he has finally grown into his long, oversized limbs and mismatched facial features. It is as good as it may ever be, and he is fine with that. He is not classically handsome like some, but he no longer hates who he sees when he looks in the mirror. 

The women who signed up for this may be getting more than one surprise today. 

A certain amount of promotional footage was already completed, but it was all yanked the minute word officially broke that Armitage would not be fulfilling his contract. It's a good thing he had no need for the money. 

Ben is 67% jaded cynic, 30% romantic, and about 2.999% not giving of a fuck. The other .1% is negligible. 

Someone turns the radio on, and it is just enough sound for him to fully zone out. 

Policy demands that he not see any of the contestants prior to the start of filming, so while he can hear a few people giggling and talking out in the hall, he can only imagine what and who those voices are connected to. 

"We'll have you over here, in front of the white screen, with that rose, please." It is difficult to keep himself in check when all he wants, no desperately needs, is to roll his eyes. 

Surely having his mother oversee this season would mean there's some drift from the norm, right?

But no, if anything, Leia Organa-Solo refuses to show even an ounce of favoritism to her only child. 

When he set his mind to it, the required amount of time he spends before the camera flies by, and he is escorted off to a small room attached to the interview area in the garage to while away the hours until it's time to meet all the ladies. He manages to fall asleep, and the beautiful suit he was wearing is wrinkled beyond belief. "Fuck." 

The unlucky production assistant tasked with helping him through a quick wardrobe change is less than happy at the prospect. 

The sun is already down below the horizon, and it is eternally boring standing beyond the entrance to the mansion, drifting back and forth on the balls of his feet, and watching absolutely nothing happen until the gravel crunches under tire wheels, and he is on the clock. 

What is he expecting to be behind those limousine doors? 

The first woman, Paige, is gorgeous and tall with stick straight black hair. He is a little taken aback that his night is starting here, but she is before him and in the next second, gone. 

"Wow," he whispers under his breath in the seconds after she disappears inside. 

Out walks a blonde who is considerably shorter than him, but her face splits into a wide smile upon getting closer, and he isn't sure how many beautiful women he can handle. "Hi, I'm Kaydel. You sure don't look like a virgin."

"Er— Hi, Kaydel, nice to meet you. I'm Ben." She hugs him, her head resting easily on his chest, and he is blown a kiss on her way out. 

They come and go, all beautiful in their own way, and he knows he's in trouble already. 

Each walks by in their signature style, no one seems to be shy or too unsure for the split second introduction, and he's about to walk inside when the silence is broken by a laugh. 

Instead of walking out, the last young lady tumbles out of the limo, landing on her back in... a sloth onesie? The ground has been repetitively watered down so it appears to glimmer in the moonlight. She's going to be soaking wet in no time. 

Ben rushes over and squats down next to her, attempting to help her up, but she rolls over and gets up all on her own. 

"Hi?" 

"Hey, sorry. That wasn't supposed to happen, but it would be me who stumbles into your heart." The joke takes him by surprise, and he sputters rather unattractively before getting himself back under control. 

"What's your name?" 

"Rey." 

"You doing alright, Rey?" 

Her eyes connect with his, and she loses the ability to talk. "Uh—yeah. I'm good, you..."

"Ben." 

"I'm good, Ben."

As the last contestant, she is shown inside while he must wait and stand around for a fair amount of time to allow the women the chance to introduce themselves, chat, and effectively size each other up. 

He isn't inside to hear what a producer, someone other than Leia, tells them all:

"Welcome, ladies! As you may have heard, there is a change in our star for this season, so the bachelor will be Ben Solo himself." One of the photos taken just today is displayed on the large television screen. The producer pauses for some sighs and other dramatics. "We understand that this is a change from what you'd originally agreed to when you signed up, so anyone who wishes to walk away now will be reimbursed for their airfare and any other incidentals."

A few of the ladies did discreetly walk away then, bringing the total number of contestants down to sixteen, and once the whispers cease, he is brought in to commence the private meetings. 

Here begins the awkward part. 

There are certain expectations for what happens between entering the house and the first presentation of the roses. 

A childhood spent with famous parents doesn't exactly breed a well-rounded individual, so Ben takes a seat on the bench out in the garden and waits. 

The first woman that comes to him is Ellie... or Eleanor? He can't quite remember which it is and errs on the side of not even mentioning it at all. She's not too loud, but funny in a way that takes him by surprise, so there is no need to prod her along to maintain a conversation. It's effortless, for these few minutes, but the turnstile keeps the river flowing. 

Next is Korr who seems to know quite a bit about him, his family, and his business. It is night and day from his time with Eleanor, and he is more than happy when Kaydel comes to take her spot. Ben can easily tell that she is pulling out each and every stop as far as flirting goes, and the idea of every woman giving him this much attention hits him full bore. 

Before he realizes it his breathing is deepening as he pulls in long breaths through his nose until the beginning of the panic attack fades away into the ether, and Kaydel stares at him in full blown shock. 

"Are you alright?" The voice isn't Kaydel's, but instead comes from a tall young woman that blew through him in about ten seconds between her exit from the limo and her entrance to the mansion. 

"Uh.." 

She seems to know that he's having trouble fully grasping at the memory of when she shared her name, "Don't worry about it! You can call me Waffles, everyone else does. That looked like a panic attack even from inside. Y'all alright?" 

He nods and once his breathing settles down enough, he's able to have something close to normal conversations with the rest of the eligible ladies. 

The last one to run across him seems to rate late always. But Rey is memorable enough that she may be the only one whose name actually sticks permanently in his mind. 

While everyone else is nothing more than an instant over a long lifespan, Rey is something else entirely. 

Not just a blip on the radar, but a beacon of bright, shining hope. There is a pulsing behind his eyes that started right around the time of his panic attack, and he is so ready to call it a night, go back to his room, and crawl under the covers with an ice pack and a joint, if possible. 

Sure, it's technically against the rules, but what are they going to do if they catch him? He's heard numerous horror stories from his mother at family get togethers. Only the worst will get you actually thrown off the show, so smoking some legal recreational weed won't quite meet that threshold. 

Plus he figured out the best ways to hide this sort of thing when he still lived with his parents. Ah, nothing beats rebellious youth. 

That thought brings him back to the present, and the brunette has lost the onesie in the hours since they first met. Instead, she is wearing a sleeveless tan top with a black mini skirt and shoes with barely any heel on them. 

"Let me walk you in," he ushers her inside with a hand on the small of her back, and she files in line with the other women as they wait for the first roses of the season. 

All in all, he has to send home three tonight. 

It is both simple and exceedingly difficult. There is little to be gained with such a small amount of time spent with each woman, so the likelihood that he might send away someone special is high while he flies by his gut alone. The gears in there have yet to set him wrong.

Some part of him, insignificant as it may be, has already started drinking the kool aid they serve here. 

Aayla, Korr, and one of the more forgettable women say their goodbyes with hugs and a small amount of tears. 

~ 

Unconsciousness keeps him longer than most mornings, and most of the house is awake and watching him as he takes off for a few laps around the estate. As much of an imposition as it is to live here, in a rented condo just outside the property line, there are a few pieces of his life that he must keep the same. 

He is drenched in sweat and must smell ungodly when he enters through the backdoor. On a normal day, there are hours between waking and needing to actually engage with other human beings. Everyone else is so underfoot and listless that he can barely make it back to his room without slamming into the lot of them. 

Cee is waiting by the door, standing still as a statue and just as gruff. "There is a planned meeting in the home theatre in 30 minutes. I am to make sure that you arrive on time. Please do hurry." 

There are few things in life he enjoys more than annoying his own mother, but he understands more than anyone that time is money. In a record setting twenty-three minutes, he is ready with only damp hair to show his rush. 

His mother immediately finds something to harp on, "Why haven't you shaved? You are so handsome with a clean face." 

The rest of the crew will need to make a concerted effort to keep them apart if they know what's good for them. 

The lights drift down once everyone is seated, and the projector begins on the first promotional section. 

"This season..." The narrator wizard pauses for great effect as clips of him interacting with various woman cycle through, "is virgin territory." 

All men want to world to know about their sex life, or the lack thereof. This development will shock no one who knows him, but he's sworn to himself that this will be an exercise in social engineering. 

"Are they all like this?" 

No one responds beyond a nod and after looking closely, he can see the flinches of fear as they await his response. He is no longer the destructive thirteen year old who never hears no and lashed out in anger. A grown man knows how to deal with adversity, and that is Ben Solo. For today, at least. 

"I know you have to bring in the viewers and that requires gimmicks and attention catchers, but can't we work in another factor?" 

The question seems to float along until it disappears beyond the horizon. 

There is no question that he is given more access and more say than an average bachelor or bachelorette simply because of who he is. The facets of nepotism aren't lost on him, but he really isn't listened to like any of the producers who do this for a living. 

Fed up and not wanting to start his day in this manner, Ben stands and quickly makes his exit. 

~ 

Little does Ben know that going through the promotional process isn't the worst thing about the lead up to the show. 

The application for contestants asks some pretty basic questions like "do you want to be married," "share three interesting aspects of your personality," and "have you every been in love." A few go all out every season by creating a video application a la Elle Woods from _Legally Blonde_. 

After being selected and moved on to the next round, an extensive background check is performed including a credit check, review of all criminal history, and verification that the applicant is currently not married and has not been separated or divorced within the last two months. 

Ben is the only one who gets to be away from the house with full access to everything he has during a normal day in his life except he is sent off to complete as many television, radio, and print interviews as he can before the first group date that night. 

"You know, I'm just a fairly normal guy," he says to Ellen DeGeneres on his first television stop. 

"Now, Ben, I don't think that's actually true. You were a child actor up until the age of fifteen when you were emancipated and went off to do your own thing. Why don't we hear about any hijinks or trouble from those days? Who did you pay off?" 

It's so easy to talk to her that he has to remember what he's here for. "I'm sure all the interesting stuff has been swept under the rug, but who I was at that age isn't a reflection of who I am now." 

"Right, right." She nods and taps her foot along to a beat of music only she can hear. "So last night was your first meeting with all the lovely ladies of season 24 of The Bachelor. What was your initial thought upon seeing them?" 

"Oh shit, mostly." 

She looks scandalized by his cursing, and his hand flies up to cover his mouth. "I'm sorry." 

"We can bleep that, don't worry."

~

"We've never met," Jimmy Kimmel starts in after Ben sits down, "but I had such a crush on your mom when I was growing up." 

"Uh—" 

"Probably more information than you ever need, right? But your mother, Leia Organa-Solo, is an executive producer on the show." 

He nods along, concerned about where this might be going. "She is, yeah." 

"Isn't that some kind of conflict of interest for her?" 

Finally, someone hits the nail right on the head. "It is, but I mean— no one expected to need me for this, you know? I never planned to be involved, but when a situation like this one develops there are only so many options they have." 

Jimmy requests that he stick around to film a quick video for their mean tweets segment before he is on his way, but that delay sets off a chain reaction. 

Traffic in the city is so bad that the production company has to make calls and pull favors to get the rest of the interviews pushed to the next few days. He would rather not do them all, but his business mind understands the necessary evil of it all. 

They are less than a mile away from Old Man Bar in Culver City where he is meeting half the ladies for their date night. There is a growing ball of hope inside of him that pushes him to do better than any date he's had before. 

He can speak with venture capitalists or give speeches in front of hundreds of shareholders so why can't he engage in some small talk and chatter?

Cee is sitting next to him in the back seat of the Lincoln Town Car, answering messages on his own on his phone while Ben watches the sky turn every color until it's lit with stars and moonlight. "Look at the flashcards, sir. It will help you remember who is who." The pile is sitting right there between them, the name Aurora on top, and he's pleased that someone before him made this same mistake. 

Kaydel, Waffles, Shannon, Jyn, Ruby, Aurora, and Simona are all waiting inside where the lights are dim, but candles provide enough light that they will be seen by each other and the cameras. He's overdressed in his suit for a burger bar, and he is effectively mobbed on his entrance. 

Very far from a vain man, he's happy he didn't inherit that gene from his father, so it is with multiple grains of salt that he accepts compliments from them all. 

"You're so handsome," Kaydel whispers as her finger slides down his chest. 

"You look amazing tonight," Aurora says to him as they wait for the bartender. 

It's an awkward scenario for anyone, but especially him. Seven women who all look at him expectantly, and he is left standing there, mouth dry and mind uncomfortably clear. 

The point is to get to know these people, but it already seems to be a Herculean task. 

He gets the wait staff to push together four small tables so he can sit and be surrounded by them together. 

"—And I said who doesn't love JarJar? He could win Mr. Beef every year." 

"I'm sorry?" He comes in at the tail end of whatever conversation she's having with Simona and Jyn, stuck in between the two. Her accent is sweet, only one of a few non-Americans taking part in this ridiculous contest. It warms a small part of him to see camaraderie instead of cattiness. 

~ 

The house being rented for him is barely three blocks away from the entrance to the expansive mansion and grounds that all the contestants are holed up in. He feels bad that he is granted access to anything he could want while they are without their cellphones, access to television or internet, and free movement into the outside world. 

But he is spending his down time bent over his laptop, iPhone wedged between his ear and shoulder as his executive assistant talks him through the issues they discovered today. "No, no, that won't work, Mitaka. Listen, call Poe and Finn in. I know they're on vacation, but it's an emergency. Let them know I'll personally write them a bonus check if they're able to get this resolved quickly enough." 

With the end of the phone call, he logs into the back end, hunting down the break in code that will surely cost him thousands in customer incentives and overtime. 

"This is Ben." 

"Hey, Ben. What do you need me to do?" It's Poe, the same man who is always one of the few people he can count on no matter what the time or day, so he isn't surprised that he reaches out shortly after he's instructed Mitaka to bring him in. 

They talk logistically for about fifteen minutes before Poe writes out his to-do list and tries to get his pointed questions in before they disconnect the call. "So, how is it being The Bachelor?"

"Is that really what you want to know?" 

"No, but I know you won't answer _that_ question so it's easier to not ask it." 

"Go ahead." 

"How hot are they?" 

He hums as he thinks it over, picturing each and every one of their faces for a split second, before he answers. "Exceedingly so." 

~

The second group date night includes Rey, Paige, Eleanor, Marie, Bastila, and Deliah. It seems that the producers recognized how awkward the previous night out was for him, so as a peace offering, surely one of many he will receive, they rent out the tunnels underneath LA for an underground tour. 

It is with these ladies that Ben feels slightly more relaxed, or as close to it as he can get with the various stresses in his life at the moment. 

The tunnels are just barely wide enough for two people to stand next to each other as they walk leisurely through miles of arches and climb over fallen brick. It also allows what should be soft voices to echo and carry to individuals who are not their intended audience. 

"I know you think he's hot, but, like, _why?_ " 

Heat prickles at his ears and the back of his neck. There is no assurance that he is the one being mentioned, but it still slams right into each and every one of his insecurities. 

"You just want to be on the show to get yourself out there? Are you serious?" 

A laugh follows and he turns his head, but can't make out who is talking over the other voices and the poor lighting. "Duh! Think about what could happen if Leia Organa notices you..." 

"I just think about Ben noticing me instead." Even more heat flames his face, though he is unsure about why a woman's attraction is more embarrassing to him that another's attempt to leverage him for a foot inside. 

"So, Ben, how much are you hating all this?" He's not sure if Rey can read the legitimate shock as it passes over his face, but he remembers that he knows how to school his features into an impervious mask, so why can't he master that when it's more than needed right now? Words fail him for a minute or two until nearly tripping over some loose bricks sends him colliding into her. 

"Sorry. I'm sorry. It's not horrible, you know, but far too much attention for me." 

She laughs in a way that draws his eyes down to her mouth and the long line of her throat when her head tilts back just so. "You do realize you signed up for all the attention, though, right?" 

It seems like she's actually interested in him, but that dark, melancholy voice in the back of his head reminds him that at least a few of these women are only here for their own advantages. "Call it familial obligation, but I had no choice." 

Deliah wedges her way in, all shoulders and elbows, and Rey looks truly put out for a moment before she and Marie link their arms together and trot down to the restaurant at the far end of the tunnels. 

"What was it like growing up with Han and Leia?"

The rest of the night is a fever dream that he can't quite shake himself free of, and he is plagued by his thoughts as he travels back to the property with all the ladies. They chatter together until he is shaken by the abrupt stop of the limo as the driver, Wedge, utters curse words that Ben hasn't heard since his childhood days spent with Han and Chewy. 

"All right back there?" He is about to respond when he hears the sound of metal being compressed and crushed at excessive speed, and the limo spins counterclockwise, thrashing everyone around and around until the world rights itself, and they end up in a jumbled mess on the floor. 

"Wedge!" Ben yells for the driver, but only the crinkling of broken glass outside and a few startled breaths are all he can hear. "Everyone else alright?" It takes him no effort to get them all into the bench seats, where he looks in their eyes and makes each and every single one of them follow his finger per concussion protocol, before extricating himself and attending to their driver. 

The intensity of the collision smacked his head against both the window and steering wheel, and he's out cold, draped over the center console and into the passenger seat with a trickle of blood at his hairline. 

Being that he is the only one with a cellphone, he tosses his phone to Paige, instructing her to call an ambulance while he checks the unlucky drivers in the other cars. 

There are at least two nearly totaled, and he is joined by Rey, Eleanor, and Bastila who get themselves scratched up and dirty as they calm the drivers and passengers. 

After statements and examinations, the police release them to go home around 2 AM. The camera truck was stopped at the intersection behind the limo and caught all the footage. The idea of seeing all that splashed across news broadcasts and magazine covers makes him sick. 

It's too much, the whole lot of it. 

His morning run clears his head in a way that only the rush of endorphins and adrenaline can. After mile six, Ben has a plan, and a rough idea of how the ensuing conversation will go. 

"Ben." Leia sounds exasperated already, and he can see the frown lines starting around her mouth. 

"Good morning, mother. How are you today?" 

"Unsure about the point of this phone call." 

"Ah," the cut to the chase would sting if he was anyone else's son. "Last night made me realize that there are only a few women I'm interested in really getting to know, so we're going to cut more than a few at the ceremony tonight." 

"No. It doesn't work like that." 

The side effects of a long and tiring night start to pound away at his temples. "I know that. You're already breaking the rules, so why not shoot them all to hell?"

He can almost hear her thinking, envisioning each neuron sparking to the next, but she makes him pause on tender hooks for minutes longer than necessary. "Fine. Fine. We'll do this, but this will mean more media and more interviews. Are you prepared for that?" 

"I am."

~

Life goes on as it normally does for all the ladies living in the mansion. The decision to keep the change from them was not his idea, but it still didn't surprise him in the least. After last night, the producers have enough drama to keep their viewers plugged in. 

"Welcome, ladies, to the rose ceremony." Host Chris Harrison stands in front of the group of ladies who are all dressed up, thinking this night will be like so many to come. 

A hush falls over the room as a production assistant carries in the tray of roses, and there are gasps when they can see how many flowers rest upon it: three. 

"As you can see," Harrison begins, shuffling his feet slightly and motioning to the table, "we are making yet another change this season. After tonight, there will be only three contestants proceeding on. If Ben calls your name, please step to the right until the conclusion of the ceremony."

The air around him crackles with tension, but he can make out expressions that read as relief to him. He will be relieved once this night is over too. 

There's still a chance, maybe more of a likelihood, that one of the chosen will be in it for the wrong reasons, but he will take a connection and a chance over uncertainty any day. 

"Good evening, ladies." He isn't surprised when his greeting garners no reply beyond stirring sighs. It will be a quick end then. 

"I've spent a lot of time thinking about this moment, and the first rose will be going to Rey." A few clap, but most stay stone-faced and still. "Will you accept this rose?" 

She nods and lets out a breezy laugh before speaking. "I will, thank you." 

His eyes track her as she walks off to stand apart from the rest of the group. "Next is... Kaydel." The woman in question all but runs over to him and throws her arms around his neck in a fast show of affection, and he can't stop the laughter from bubbling out of him as he extends the rose and waits for her to accept it. "Do you accept this rose?"

"Of course, duh!" She and Rey hug and whisper a few words conspiratorially before he surveys the rest of the contestants. 

Contestants. 

There are entire moments where it slips his mind that every second on his day and theirs is being taped for the viewing pleasure of the masses who don't much care if any of them end up happy as long as the journey from beginning to end is entertaining. He has spent enough time entertaining others during his life. 

This is the moment he has been dreading; sending away ten beautiful women now and two more in a few days in the hope that there is a happy ending for him at the end of some long, winding, treacherous road. 

"This last rose is for... Paige. Please step forward and accept this rose." 

Where he would've expected some reaction, there is none. Absolutely no sound or movement as if the world has ceased its constant rotation for a few pulses, long enjoy for only four breaths to come and go, and then everyone is turning and walking away, off to another room to pack up their things and prepare to make their exit. 

The producers are escorting Rey, Kaydel, Paige off to the garage for their separate testimonials when he stops to watch all the others hug and fawn over each other. It is a much better sight than the cattiness and backstabbing he's witnessed from clips of past seasons. 

"I could've taken care of that problem for you, no sweat," Deliah says as her fingers dance up his chest, skipping over each button of his white button down shirt, until she bopped him on the nose, "shame shame."

~

**Author's Note:**

> Want to see something particular with the dates for the next chapter? Let me know in the comments!


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